forcible

[ fawr-suh-buh l, fohr- ]

/ ˈfɔr sə bəl, ˈfoʊr- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR forcible ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

done or effected by force: forcible entry into a house.

producing a powerful effect; having force; effective.

convincing, as reasoning: a forcible theory.

characterized by the use of force or violence.

Nearby words

Origin of forcible

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French; see force, -ible

Related forms

for·ci·ble·ness, for·ci·bil·i·ty, nounfor·ci·bly, adverbun·for·ci·ble, adjectiveun·for·ci·ble·ness, noun

un·for·ci·bly, adverb

Can be confusedforceful forcible

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for forcibly

Michelangelo tricked his patron about the David, but sometimes he was forcibly reminded who paid the bills.
Great Renaissance Art Thrived Amid Filth|Nick Romeo|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The younger unmarried women are being told they will be forcibly married to ISIS fighters.
Trapped in an ISIS Prison, And There May Be No U.S. Rescue|Kimberly Dozier|August 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As The Guardian noted, Cameron Diaz was telling adorable anecdotes about forcibly grooming a hairy friend just under a year ago.
Madonna Took a Selfie of Her Hairy Armpit. So What?|Amy Zimmerman|March 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Begins: When you must forcibly stop yourself from striking a loved one in the face.
So You Are Enduring a Temporarily Paralyzing Winter Storm|Kelly Williams Brown|February 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST

At one point, he allegedly grabbed her arm and forcibly tried to pull her out of the studio.
Japan’s Miss International Takes on Mob-Backed Entertainment Complex|Jake Adelstein|December 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Oliver answered never a word, but taking her by the hand, led her forcibly down the stairs and out of the house.
A Modern Aladdin|Howard Pyle
These, standing on into changed times, strike the imagination as forcibly as any pyramid or feudal tower.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition|Robert Louis Stevenson
"Now, look a' here, I don't know any more about this than you do," he told them forcibly.
The Little Regiment|Stephen Crane
Kansas must be saved from a tyrannical usurpation, under which Slavery has been forcibly established on Free Soil.
Charles Sumner; his complete works, volume 5 (of 20)|Charles Sumner
My business is to remove you, peaceably if I can, forcibly if I must!
Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk|Black Hawk

British Dictionary definitions for forcibly

forcible

/ (ˈfɔːsəbəl) /

adjective

done by, involving, or having force

convincing or effectivea forcible argument

Derived Formsforcibleness or forcibility, nounforcibly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for forcibly

forcible

adj.

early 15c., from Middle French forcible, from Old French forcier (see force (n.)). Related: Forcibly.

forcible

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of forcible

Examples from the Web for forcibly

forcible

adjective

forcible